Evolving Tensions
Challenges and Opportunities for US and EU Engagement in Central Asia
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Dilchoda Berdieva
This paper deals with the engagement of the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) in Central Asia. Both the US and the EU have common interests in the stability, security, and the economic development of the region. However, although the US has been engaged in the region for more than two decades, the EU’s serious commitment began in 2007, when the EU decided on its plan in the document “The EU and Central Asia: Strategy for a New Partnership” that identified the main reasons why the EU should be involved in Central Asia. Over the years, both the US and the EU have provided aid and investment for many programs. This paper explores the challenges and the impact of the programs implemented in the last ten years and evaluates the effectiveness of these programs in the region. It also examines the areas where the US and the EU can further collaborate to make their involvement in the region more successful.
The Dawn of Hybrid Regimes: A Case Study from Hungary
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Kristof Filemon
Thirty years after the famous "end of history" claims, certain countries of the world have been taking a path towards autocracy to ensure the political survival of the leader. These regimes are referred today as "hybrid". My paper analyzes the institutional changes and political survival strategies of Viktor Orbán, to understand, which concrete benefits hybrid regimes might provide to leaders. The research is focused on practical approach to the exercising of political power, independently from ideological restraints. My paper considers empirical data on Hungary, to understand, how the political institutions, such as the constitution, the parliament, and the whole electoral system have been altered in accordance with the five main laws of political survival, to assure the prolonged reign of Mr. Orbán. By presenting the concrete benefits of this system, including international approval and relative political stability on the long run, my paper demonstrates why hybrid regimes are logical choices for contemporary political leaders in the twenty-first century.
The Global Leadership of the United States: A Historical Perspective from the South
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Veronica Moreira dos Santos Pires
Discussions focusing on the exercise of North American power encompass international newscasts as well as simple family gatherings. It is natural that the scope of these discussions is so broad, as the decisions that come from the United States, notably in the foreign policy context, not only impact the international European matrix based system but also often define the foreign policies of several countries, whether they are US allies or not. For these reasons, among others not less relevant, the twentieth century was called the American Century. But would such designation fit the twenty-first century? We know it is too early to define the status of the current century. The intention is, however, to focus on the tension between declinists and hegemonists since the 1990s and to observe the anchoring of arguments. From this perspective, the election of Donald Trump does not inaugurate this declinists versus hegemonists cleavage although it grants it originality. The research was constituted from several variables present in the discussion on the topic since the end of the Cold War and the possibility of transferring a military hegemony project to an economic imperative, supported by the idea of globalization leading the way. Following this hypothesis and considering the vitality of the theme, with an emphasis on the Latin American neighbors, this study presents and updates the debate from the immediate post-Cold War to the first signs of the Trump government.
Global Goldmines and Battlegrounds: The Interconnectivity of Fifth-generation Wireless Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Cyber Warfare
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session John Alsup
The move to fifth-generation wireless technology (5G) in the next few years is tremendously important to the semiconductor and telecommunication industries worldwide. Experts predict 5G to deliver speeds 10 to 40 times current 4G LTE networks. Its lower latency promises to empower new applications from augmented reality and automated factories to autonomous vehicles. Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to change dramatically businesses from agriculture to healthcare. However, cyber-attacks and hacking could threaten the progress made by the much more advanced and sophisticated technology. Reportedly, a Russian cyber-attack brought down Kiev’s electrical grid for a day and, as Microsoft Corporation stated, Iranian hackers have targeted more than 200 companies and government entities worldwide recently, stealing corporate secrets, wiping out data, and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in lost productivity (Wall Street Journal, March 8, 2019). This investigation focuses on current progress in the development of the 5G Network and artificial intelligence, the geopolitical aspect of international cooperation and competition, and the increased risk of destructive cyber-attacks.
